Tennis superstar Rafael Nadal on Friday pulled out of Spain’s Davis Cup World Group Play-off opening singles match against India due to a stomach bug.
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“In Davis Cup unusual things do happen and this is a situation where we have nothing to lose”, stated Paes here Thursday during a short interaction with the reporters.
Later, David Ferrer outclassed Saketh Myneni 6-1, 6-2, 6-1 in an hour and 25 minutes in a rather lopsided encounter to hand the visitors a comfortable lead. It was the only match where the Spanish Armada could have faced some resistance and they did. He remains tied with Italian giant Nicola Pietrangeli on 42 wins.
Paes and Myneni broke again in the second set, putting themselves in pole position but the Spaniards rallied.
Away from the game, it was enlightening to see a third team at work on court – the chair umpire worked closely with the linesmen and ballkids. “I was serving at 150s and Rafa helped a lot at net and nerves made it hard for me but overall I leave with very good feeling of the match”. But unable to break Ferrer’s serve, Myneni lost the set 2-6. Nadal himself was seated alongside the rest of the Spanish team on the sidelines during the match, flashing a quick thumbs up and a wave turning the crowd delirious. The visitors stretched Paes’ serve twice to deuce before the Indian veteran clinched the game with a strong return. For as much as we posture and pretend that it is life and death, it is just a game. Paes was broken in the third game and Spain wrapped up the match in a jiffy with Nadal lending the finishing touches with a powerful forehand down the line victor.
In the seventh game, Paes and Myneni stretched Lopez’s serve to deuce before Paes hit a return into the net to hand the game to Spain. Even after winning the first set India kept losing to Spaniards afterwards. He and Lopez won gold together in Rio earlier this summer. The Spaniard was up 40-15 but the Indians took the next three point with Myneni hitting a backhand cross court victor to pocket the break. Paes then held his serve in the next game to increase India’s lead. The accuracy of Paes’ drop shots was a sight to watch.
Nadal’s fierce service return victor and Myneni’s volley error handed Spian two chances. He saved the first but double-faulted on the second.
Meanwhile, Argentina are leading Great Britain 2-0 following Juan Martin Del Potro’s win over Andy Murray 6-4 5-7 6-7 (5) 6-3 6-4. “Many thanks to all the fans.” said Nadal, who conceded that India was “very close” to his heart as he had a part of his Foundation in Anantapur. The match spilled into the tie-breaker where Spain prevailed to make it a set all.
Lopez though immediately snatched back the momentum by breaking Ramkumar in the second game of the fourth set, rushing to a 3-0 lead. Nadal was broken at love straightaway when he double faulted on break point and the Indians had surged ahead 4-1 with a fifth set in horizon. Nadal delivered a double-fault on breakpoint, which only showed the intensity of the contest.
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With Saketh holding, India were up 3-0. The Indian got one break back but Ferrer sealed the set in the eighth game.
